Machine and method for cooking a complete meal



Nov. 2, 1937. n. vsc'mufscl-l` l 2,097,471

' MACHINE AND ms'rno fon coxme lA COMPLETE FALV nieu may' d22, 1535 4 sheets-sheet :s

Valier Scharsch MACHINE AND- IETHD. FOR GOOK'I'NG A GOIIPLETE MEAL r-ilqd'ily 22, 1935 j 4"sneetssnejet 4 Valier R. Schuscrh;`

.MMA y Patented Nov. 2, 193% UNITED STATESl PATENT yo 'FFicE MACHINE AND METHOD Fon cooxiNG A COMPLETE MEAL t wenn n. stimmen, romana, om. Application my 2z, iassfs'erm No, ,naiss lily Claims.

My invention relates to the culinary lart', the ultimate aim of which is to produce delicious food perfectly cooked and tastefully served; hence, generally speaking, the object of -my invention is to 'approach this ideal as closely as possible, yet by a machine and method adapted to rapid quantity production o! meals, as in a restaurant, and adapted to variation in or choice among the sevf" eral components of a meal, as individual tastes vary, but without confusion, likelihood of mistake'in serving, or interruption of the routine of cooking and serving. 7

It is, too, a further aim to lessen the overhead of a restaurant, in part by eliminating the necessity for employing skilled cooks (fry cooks, bakers, etc.), through cooking of each compor nent under the conditions of time, temperature,

and amount of heat best suited for such component, such factors Vbeing automatically controlled and maintained, and therefore eliminattity of the food, or passed on to the patron; thereby inuring to his advantage. More speciilcally, it is an object to provide a machine and a method whereby each of several components of a meal, one or more of which may diier from others in the time, temperatureror total amount and manner of application of heat required tocook it, may all Ihe started cooking simultaneously,l as an order is received, and each will progress to a delivery point, being subjected during its travel to the conditions best suited for cooking this particular component (though such conditions may be unsuitable for cooking another component, the latter being subjectedto conditions best suited to its cooking), and all arrive substantially simultaneously at a delivery point or points, whereby the several components delivered at one time are known to be` part of one order, all properly cooked, hot, and ready to serve.

'I'he present application is a continuation in part of my application Serial No. 738,593.,- illed August 6, 1934. l

The aim stated immediately above is the particular'object of my invention, but more generally it is an object to provide a machine and a method whereby any one or the several various components of a meal may be cooked automatically, with conditions so maintained that the cooking will be properly d one, and the food will be delivered just properly cooked and ready to eat. For example, chops may-be cooked in such insure proper cooking o1' the food, and it is a fur- 'a machine, and will be delivered thoroughly cooked. yet tender and full of thenatural juices, which are not permitted to escape. Oysters, ilsh, foods' dipped in battenvor steaks may similarly be cooked? The machine is so formed and arranged, in furtherance of one of the objects o! my invention, that a patron desiring asteak well done "may have it, or, if he wishes it medium well done, or even rare, he may be accommodated without confusion, yet in any event the steak will be thoroughly and properly cooked, and will not have lost its essential juices.

Furthermore, by this method of cooking it is made possible by thoroughly scientic and autolmatic cookingof meats in particular to quickly yet thoroughly cooka piece of meat and to deliver it tender, even though it' may be oi poor or indiierent. grade to start with.

Again, cooking in deep fat does not, of itself,

ther object to provide a machine. and method whereby foods of many kinds can be properly cooked in deep fat, and in such a way that when completed it is sumciently moist, tender, and cooked through and through.

' As I have intimated above, itis afurther object to provide a machine and a method which are exf ibleand adaptable to the/ cooking of widely diiferent food items, such as steaks, chops,1'rankfurters, frankfurters wrapped in dough, fowl, oysters, sh, potatoes, and biscuits. Especially is the machine and process adapted to the cooking of any food which can be immersed in deep fat, and indeed I have discovered that many foods not considered susceptible of cooking in this way can be better cooked in this way. l It is a further object to provide a machine of the general character indicated, which shall be simple, compact, and comparatively inexpensive, which conserves heat to the greatest degree practicable, and in which heat is mutually transferred fromon'e unit to another, ltosome extent, but

which is capable of independent regulation of the heat of different units.

. 4 It is a further object to arrang such a ma- 5 chine in a manner which will deliver the food hot shortly after its cooking has been completed, but which will permit the fat to drain 'from the 4 food, preferably back into the tank from which the food has emerged, inthe interval between the completion of cooking and thedelivery of the food', so that when delivered it will not be in the least greasy. f Other objectsrmore especially those which re- My invention comprises the novel machine, and

the-novel method oi cooking, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, described in this specification, and more particularly pointed out by the claims which terminate the same, it being understood that various changes may be made inthe form, arrangement, and` the mechanical details oi the machine, and in the steps oi the method, without departing from my invention as claimed.

In theaccompanying drawings I have shown my invention embodied in a machine oi the type no w preferred by me.

Figure 1 -is 'a longitudinal vertical section through a complete machine, electrical connec-v tions, however, being omitted.

.Figure 2 is a top plan view of the machine.

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical section substantially on the'line 3-4 of Figure 1.

- Pigurei is'a side elevation, with parts broken away, and Figure 5 is an elevation taken at right angles to Figure 4, illustrating the angled guide for the conveyor chains, which is within the Figure 6 is a side elevation, and Figure 7 a plan view, of such a conveyor chain and the element carried thereby for such foods as meat.

Figure 8 is a bottom. perspective view oi a basket for containing such foods as potatoesfiish, oysters and the like.

Figure 9 is a perspective machine.

by submerging them in deep fat. lI'have covered that, by proper handlinma great many foods may be so cooked. Some foods will require a. temperature higher than other foods or subjection to the temperature of the fat for a longer time, or it may be desirable, in order to cook foods to difierent degrees, ior examplec'ooking tions IB, preferably extendingfrom end to end oi the tank, to define, in the embodiment shown, the several cooking compartments II, I2, I3, and A I4. Thus; the compartments II and I2 are aligned, but separated from each other by the `transverse partition I0, and the compartments I3 and I4 are aligned, similarly separated from each other, and separated from the compartments II and I2, respectively, by the partition I9, which ordinarily need not be insulated.

' Each oi these compartments is intended to receive a grease suitable for cooking, of which there are a number available on the market. To heat. the grease suitable means are provided, and preferabl'y'these consist 'ci the electric heating elements of 'a type adapted to be submerged and indicated at 2l, 22, 22, and 24. These heating elements maybe substantially identical, although as will appear later, the heating capacity of certain oi them may be different from that oi' others.

These elements are preferably located the bottom of each compartment, extending through the end walls I1 and I8 of the tank, whereby they may be readily removed when necessary.

To control the temperature in the several compartments suitable means are provided. such al the thermostats 25 and 28. These maybe similarly supported in the respective end walls of the tank, and since the partition Il is not,l in the 4ments and to the thermostats, and all electrical control means, havebeen omitted from the draw ings to avoid confusion, and .because they are common in the electrical art, and oi.' themselves form no part oi.' the present invention. As will 4 be obvious, thel thermostat 25 will be so connected in the electrical system as to control the supply "f of current to the heating elements 2I and 23, and

Ythe thermostat 26 similarly controls thesupply of current to the heating elements 22 and 2l.

But mere suhmergence in deep fat will often produce improperly cooked food, and this cannot Y be materially improved by altering the temperaf turezor time of submergence. It it is found that the rood is not cooked through, anincreased tem- -p'erature or longer submergence may result only without compensating results in the center. It

grease impregnating the food, and of failing to .-eoo k even the outside properly. I have discovered that perfect results can beV obtained by a continuous relative movement between theiood andthe grease, the temperature and time of submergence'being regulated so that the rood will not burn, but will cook through, during the 'period' 'ot submergence permitted.

The rate of movement need not be rapid, and in the machine illustrated, which has been in use,

'-the food travels throughthe grease at a rate oi' about onefoot each minute. It appears that the submergence -of-the food locally chills the grease immediately surrounding it, and steam emittedfrom the surface of the food forms, in eiIect, an insulating envelope. Movement of the food through the grease breaks up and dispels this envelope, brings the food continually into contact with new, hot grease, and brings the grease into more intimate association with the food. While `this may not be thecorrect explanation, results have shown that relative movement of the foodv and grease is of. great importance, hence means are provided for accomplishing this. Y

l At one end of the tank there is provided a feed table I5, and at its opposite end is a delivery table I6. Between lthese two tables extend conveyor means, such as the chains 3l and 32, on which are adapted to be secured the different components which are to be passed through the hot grease. Preferably these chains extend over suitable guide means, such as the loose sprocket wheels 32 just beneath the surfaceof the Afeed table I5, thence down the end wall I1 of the tank to a point below the surface of the grease, thence through curved guides 3 (see Figures 4 and 5) having intumed anges 30 to :embrace'and restrain the chains, across thebottom of thetank, preferably spaced somewhat above the tank bottom and above the heating element which is adjacent the bottom, to similar curved guides at the opposite end ot the i in overcooking or burning the outside of the food, lview of thel complete o vthetemperatureis'reducedthere'isdangeroithe It is recognized that some foods can 'beco'oked other curved guides 3 and up the end wall il of the tank, passing over guide sprockets or the like, indicated at 35, Just beneath the surface of the. delivery table i6. The chains pass thence downwardly to idler sprockets 3 6 supported in a suitable chain-tightening device 31, across beneath u the tank, and about 'aldrive sprocket 39' on the t drive shaft 50. In operation, therefore, the machine aflords two series of hot greasecompartments through which the components of a meal may travel concurrently: one comprising the earlier compartment Iland the later compartment I2, and the, other the-earlier compartment I3 and the later-compartmentll.

Power may be suppliedfrom a motor 5, driving the shaft through a belt 5i; a reduction gear 52, and a chain 53 to a sprocket wheel 54 on the shaft 50 (see Figures 1 and 3). Since the distance to be traveled by each of the chains 3l and 32 is the same, (although they may be arranged tovtravel different distances, if desired or found necessary) the speed of travel of each v of these two chains should be identical, and may be so calculated that a piece of food placed on either one of the chains at the feed table I5 will require say from ninev to ten minutes topass through the two compartments and arrive at the feed table i6, and this fixes the time for cooking the meal. If it should be Adesired to make one of these chains 3| or 32 travel a shorter distance, this might be accomplished, for example, by lessening the height over the partition Ill over which it must travel, but if the two are to start and finish simultaneously, as is desirable, the speed of the two chains must then be made different to compensate for the difference in the length of the respective paths through which they must travel. f

The chain 3| may be in most respects similar to the chain 32, except ,preferably the chain 3l is provided with means for impaling a piece of meat, and the chain 32 with means to support a basket. Thus there are provided at intervals along the chain 3i skewers in the form of curved spikes or prongs 6, and these are provided preferably with a barb 60 so that meat impaled thereon will be prevented from falling of! while the chain is traveling through the cooking compartment, but the curvature of the spike is such, and

isso placed with relation to ways formed by the surface of the delivery table I6 and the curvaturek of the sprocket wheels 35, that if the meat i not manually removed from the spike, the spike ``\Yarious heating elementsl as lrequired will be automatically withdrawn from the meat, which comes to rest on the delivery table, without damage to the meat, the curvature of the spike being approximately the curvaturey about which the chain passes in dropping below the surface of the delivery table.

On the chain 32', on the otherhand, I provide means forsupporting a basket 1 A(see Figure 8) which may contain potatoes, fish, oysters, food dipped in batter, biscuits, or any type of food, in fact, but which is especially intended to contain food which may crumble or flake, or which con.- sists of a number of loose pieces, for instance shoe string or French fry potatoes. The basket is held in a clip 6l snpportedby a stud 62, which u han: armed and family the' sides of the basket 1. The basket will be disen-- vgased from the clip automatically when the basket comesto restupon the surface ofthe delivery table "and the clip is drawn down beneath the surface of this table as-the chain progressear; The basket may be provided with av hinged'corer Il having a tongue 'Il adapted to lie alongside the side of the basket which is opposite the hinge, whereby it may be grasped by the fingers to hold the basket inverted, andto hold the cover closed while the basket is being engaged with a clip 8|.

While biscuits may be baked by immersing them, enclosed within a basket 1, in the deep fat, the patron will usually prefer (because of the persistence of this custom) that they be baked in ari oven, or it may be desired to bake individual pies, custards, puddings, or the like, which can not be immersed in deep fat'. To such end I provide a tunnel oven4 which I prefer to locate immediately beneathv the tank i, so that heat from the oven will tend to maintain the temperatures in the fat compartments, or vice versa, thus to conserve the heat. 'Through this oven passes another conveyor element, such as the chain 40; The chain 40 maybe supported on rollers or sprockets 4I, 42, and 43, which guide it through the oven and thence below the oven, and it may be driven by a sprcket wheel 44 mounted upon the shaft 50. A suitable tightener 45 may be provided. In the embodiment shown the distance through which the chain `40 must travel is less than the 4distance through which either `of the chains 3i vand 32 must travel; therefore in order that a pan of biscuits, which is started into the oven at the same time that a basket of potatoes and a. half chicken is started on the chains 32 and 3l respectively, ,may finish and be delivered substantially simultaneously, the speed of travelv of the chain 40 should be less than the speed of travel of the chains 3i and 32; therefore the drive sprocket 44 for the chain 40 is made smaller than the drive sprockets 39 for the other two chains. These factors can obviously be soV designed as to be correlated with each other, that is, the factors of distance traveled and speed of travel, and with both of them may be correlated the factor of heat supplied, in degree and amount.

v'I'he chain 40 is provided at intervals with upstanding clips or dogs 46, which engage a pan 41 in which biscuits may be placed, sliding along rods 40', placed parallel to the chain 40, and the biscuits' thus travel from a feed table 48, which is preferably located adjacent the feed table I5, to a delivery table 49 which is preferably located adjacent the delivery table I6. v

for such an "oyen are placed therein. The element 8,

placed near the entrance to the oven, effects the l raising ofthe biscuits, and their further cooking is accomplished by an element 80. both of these lying beneath the chain 4, while the browning is To conserve heat in the oven I provide breaker`A`v strips 99', and doors! hinged at 90 adlacent the ceiling of theoven, which will swing in the direction of travel of the chain 40 to. permit a pany of biscuits to pass,

and 'a' similar-door-Si may be l is mounted in .the chain 32, the ends of the clip provided Yat the exit .end of the oven. Prefer--- on the chain in the intervals between the clips 4l and any pans 41 carried thereby.

The oven 4 may conveniently be provided with windows, preferably of double glassrfor insulation, asindicated at 94, s'o that the vprogress of the biscuits may be observed as the cooking progresses. Indeed, windows 95 may be provided looking into the main tank, so that the progress of the food being cooked may be watched. All down runs and return runs of the chains, as well as the drive arrangements, are suitably enclosed. and the machine may be placed in a conspicuous spot in the restaurant where it will be an attraction of itself. To lessen the loss of heat and to hold down the emission of vapors and odors, I may employ glass covers over the compartments of the tank, these covers being indicated at 96 and 91. 'I'he ends of these covers are spaced suiiiciently fromthe end walls 'I1 and I8 and from the partition wall It to permit passage of the food or the basket 1.

It is believed that the mannerof using the machine and the general method of cooking will 'be apparent. Food, such as a half chicken C, is

placed upon a spike 6 at the feed table I5, and at about the same time a basket 1 previously fined with potatoes ready for French'frying is placed v upon a clip 6I. A previously prepared pan of biscuits is placed between clips 46 of the chain 40, all these different components starting substantially simultaneously. 'I'he pan of biscuits travels slowly through the tunnel. oven 4, vand the chicken and basket of potatoes travels at a more rapid rate (about one foot a minute) but by a more circuitous and longer path, rst down the end wall I'I, beneath the surface Aof thegrease in the first compartment Il or I3, then along the bottom of this compartment, submerged beneath the surface of the grease, up the wall of the'partltion I0 and over the top of this partition, then down on the opposite side of the partition, and again vbeneath the grease in the compartment I2 or I4, passing across the bottom'- submerged, and nally up the end .Wall I8 to the delivery table IB. Since the chains 3l and 32 i travel at the same rate, it is obvious that the chicken and the potatoes will arrive substantially simultaneously, and with the speed of travel of the chain 40 properly correlated with the speed and distance of the travel of the chains 3| and 32, the pan of biscuits will arrive at the delivery table 49 at substantially the same time, and thus all elements of the meal which started simultaneously are completely cooked and Y delivered simultaneously.

I prefer that the grease in the compartments II and I3 be kept at a temperature-of'about 350 Fahrenheit, which is sumcient to sear the meat and seal in the juices, in meat, fowl, po-

tatoes, and in other foods, andthe foods are given the primary cooking inthe compartment Il or I3, which is longer than the aligned compartment I2 or I4, respectively. In other words, many or most foods will be substantially or even edibly cooked in the period of their submerged travel through the lower temperature grease in the compartment II or- I3, according to some tastes-though not ilnished or browned according to the taste of those who like them very thoroughly or abundantly cooked. As the food passes up the wall of the partition I0, the grease is permitted to drain off, and the food ls'again plunged beneath the grease in the compartment I2 or I4. `This lgrease is preferably maintained at a higher temperature, in the vicinity of 375 P., lwhich is sumcient to complete the cooking in a comparatively shorter time and to brown the foods. In other words, the food moves, during different portions ci its total period mergencathrough bodies of grease heated to diti'erent temperatures, and is diil'erently aected thereby. Again as the food travels up the end wail Il, the greasedrains off it, and drops back into the tank. .When the food arrives at the delivery table, some nine or ten minutes after being placed on the conveyor at the feed table I5, the food is hot, freshly and abundantly cooked, free of grease, generally moist,-and the cooking has been completed automatically without attention on the part of any attendant, in just the right way and to the right degree, and experience has shown that it is extremely tender and palatable.

. into the machine in the manner described, but

it comes into View again as it passes over the top of the partition I0, and it may be removed from the conveyerat this point, and kept hot in a warming closet 98' locatedalongside the oven 4, until the remainder of the meal is cooked, or it may be started at about the 'time the potatoes emerge from the grease in the compartment I3, and taken 0E as the'steak arrives at the top or the partition I 0, at which time the potatoes will have arrived at the delivery table I6. If the patron desires a rare steak, the steak may be placed on theconveyer chain 3|, atthe partition III, at 'about the time the potatoes appear at the top oi the partition III, and the steak then passes only-through the grease in the compartment I2. Thus while the time-of cooking of the steak is less., the temperature is higher and the steak is cooked rare, with the juices well sealed into it, yet even low grade meatvmay be made extremely tender and palatable when cooked rare in this manner.

I have found that biscuits may bel cooked by submerging them and advancing them through the deep fat, for this purpose being contained in baskets l. Similarly oysters may be cooked in these baskets, or articles which have been dipped ln batter, or fish which may ilake oi may be so cooked. 'I'he machine is flexible and adaptable to the cooking of a wide variety of foods, -and foods whichl require different time or temperature conditions, yet little skill or experience is required to vaccomplish the cooking, and to accomplish it in a manner which' is better than it can be done by skilled cooks, especially if the latter are engaged in handling a rush of business. It is ordinarily considered undesirable to use over again, creat least for any lengthy period,

, ever, I have discovered that the same grease may be used over and over for long periods without deterioration, apparently due to the fact that the total quantity of grease is so great, as compared with the mass of food which enters it, that the temperature of the grease varies but little or not at all. The movement of the food through the grease disslpates any locally chilled more, in normal restaurant operation, the grease will cool but slowly overnight, and will not usually congeal between closing time at night and open- 'ing time next morning. The ability to use the same grease for considerable periods of time in itself constitutes a source of considerable saving to the restaurant operator.

What I claim as my invention is:

l. A machine for cooking a plurality of components of a meal, requiring heat-treatment for different lengths of time, comprising a plurality -of conveyors, one for each such component, means to guide and advance the several conveyors through xed paths of different lengths, each from a given feed point to a given delivery point, the length of each path being so correlated with the speedof each conveyor that different components started substantially simultaneously each from its feed point will arrive substantially simultaneously each at its delivery point, and means disposed alongeach path, and regulated in accordance with timeand distance of exposure of the component traveling along such path, to -supply sufficient heat at the temperature and for the time required for each particular component, to complete its cooking and to prepare it for serving by the time it is discharged at its delivery point. Y

2.- A machine for cooking a plurality of com'- ponents of a meal, at least one of whichV requires heat treatment for a length of time diierent simultaneously, each at its delivery point, andv means disposed along each path, and regulated in accordance with time and distance of exposure of the component traveling along such path, to supply sufficient heat at the temperature and for the time required for each particular component,

to complete its cooking by the time it reaches its delivery point.

3. A machine for cooking food comprising a plurality of grease-filled compartments arranged in series, each separated by a Wall from an adjoining compartment, means to maintain the grease in each compartment at a temperature appropriate for the cooking step to be performed in such compartment, a conveyor whereon Ythe food may be secured, guide means leading the 'conveyor from a feed point down one wall of one compartment, below the surface Aof the grease and across this compartment, thence out of the greaseA and up theseparating Wall interposed between this and the adjoining compartment,

thence over the wall and down into such adjoining compartment, and below the surface of the Chilling and heating 5 grease therein, and then up to la delivery point elevated above the surface of the grease in the back from the food before delivery, and means to advance the conveyor at a rate such that, in relation to the temperature of the grease in each successive compartment and the time of exposure thereto, the food is delivered of grease.

4. A machine for cooking food comprising a compartment adapted to receive grease, means in such compartment to heat the grease therein to cooking temperatures, a. cover over said comsecond compartment, whereby grease will drain v cooked and drained partment, a conveyor chain, means thereon to 5. A machine` for cooking a plurality of dif-Y ferent componentsl of a meal, which require for their cooking particular temperature factors and diii'erent time factors, which comprises a plurality .of means, one for each component, and each `op erable to receive and advanceits component through a xed path of a length diiferent' from the others, said plurality of means having their speeds of travel coordinated with respect to the lengths of the paths traversed to complete movement of the various components through their respectivepaths inl substantially equal lengths of time, and means disposed-along each path to supply the vheat vrequiredfb'y and atatemperature appropriate for vthe particular com.-

ponent moving along eachsuch path. i f l 6; A- machine for cooking a plurality oi' dif ferent components of a meal, requiring heat treatmentf'or diiferent lengths of time, comprising in-l i dividual means' to advance each of the several components from a feed station through aiixed path to a delivery station, said means being timed f to discharge the components substantially simultaneously when 'started substantially simultaneously, and'means disposed along such paths f to supply-heat for diiferent lengths vof time to the components moving. therealong, each of said last-mentioned means supplying heat to its par-` ticular component for the length of'time required to cook it properly, and at a temperature appropriate for such component.

7. A machine for cooking a plurality of components of a meal, requiring cooking for diierent lengths of time, comprising a plurality of individual means, one for each component, to move such components through paths of different lengths, but said paths all being of substantially the same overall lengthbetween a common feed station and a common delivery station, means to drive the individual rst means at such relative speeds as to travel from the feed station to the delivery station in substantially equal lengths of time, and means disposed along each path to subject the respective components to heat at the temperature and for the length of time appropriate for such components, to-complete the cooking for discharge at the delivery station'substantially simultaneouslyof all components started substantially simultaneously from the feed station.

'8. A machine for cooking simultaneously two components of a meal which require heat treatment for different lengths of time, comprising two conveying means, the rst to convey the component requiring the shorter heat treatment through a circuitous path from a common Vfeed station to a common delivery station, and the second to convey the component requiring the longer heattreatment through a more direct path from the feed station to the delivery station, means to advance the first conveying means at a given rate, means to advance said second conveying means at a slower rate than said first conveying means, whereby the two components, started substantially simultaneously from the feed station, will be discharged substantially simultaneously at the delivery station, and means disposed along each path, and regulated inaccordance with time and distance of exposure of the component traveling along such path, to supply heat at the temperature and for the time required for each particular component, to complete its cooking by the time it reaches the delivery station.

v9. A machine for cooking simultaneously two components of a meal which require heat treatment for different lengths of time, comprising two conveying means, the first to convey the component requiring the shorter heat treatment from l, a feed point to a delivery point, the second to convey the component requiring the longer heat treatment from a feed point to adelivery point, lieating means for said second conveying means to supply heat lin regulated quantities and at controlled temperatures to the component carried by such conveying means throughout substan-y tially its entire travel, a plurality of heating means for said iirst conveying means, arranged in series to expose the component carried by such means in turn to said plurality of heating means and during a part only of its travel, and means guiding said first conveying means to hold the componentcarried thereby out of the inuence of its heat supplying means for the remainder of its travel, whereby the two components started substantially simultaneously will be cooked each fr its proper length of time and yet will be iinished substantially simultaneously.

10. The method of cooking two components of a meal simultaneously, which require heat treatment for different lengths of time, which comprises the steps of simultaneously initiating, and continuing at a uniform rate of speed, the advance of both components, each through a path including a heated zone, to be delivered substantially simultaneously when started substantially simultaneously, supplying heat in each such zone to the particular component passing there-A through, and regulating the temperature of heat supplied in each zone, and the time of exposure of each component to such heat at such temperature, appropriately to the requirements of the particular component aiected, that each component will be properly cooked when delivered.

11. A machine for cooking food, comprising a cabinet. dening a tank having insulated walls,

, for receiving melted grease, an insulated oven adjoining said tank and disposed therebelow, and a compartment below said oven and at the ends of said tank, means to maintain the grease in said tank at cooking temperature, means to maintain the oven at baking temperature, a conveyor chain traveling through said tank, another conveyor chain traveling through said oven, the return runs of both said chains passing through and being enclosed within said compartment yto conserve the heat in said tank and said oven, and means in said compartment to drive said chains.

ovr the dividing wall, and through the other grease compartment to said delivery station, and

means to drive said two chains at such relative4 speeds as to move portions of each reaching said feed station simultaneously, through their respective paths to reach said delivery station substantially simultaneously. 4

13. Mechanism for conveying meat to be cooked through acooking tank of heated grease, comprlsing a chain movable through said tank. a link engaged in said chain, a meat-piercing prong projecting outward from said link, tapering substantially to a point, and having its tip inclined backward with respect to the advance of the chain, two horizontal lways at the discharge side of said tank, extending lengthwise of said chain, and means guiding said chain for movement close beneath one end of said ways, and progressively thereafter downward away from said ways, to carry said prong between and thereafter to withdraw 'it `substantially lengthwise from between Y said ways, whereby meat impaled upon said prong will ride up on said ways to b`e held thereby as the prong is withdrawn, by continued movement with the chain, downward away from the ways and out ofthe meat engaged thereby.

14. A machine for cooking food comprising two grease-lled compartments arranged in series and separated by a wall, one compartment being o! greater length than the other, and preceding such other compartment, means to maintain the temperature of the grease in the longer compartment at a value appropriate to accomplish primary cooking of thev food, means to maintain the temperature of the grease in the shorter compartment at a higher value to complete the cooking, a conveyor whereon the food may be secured, guide means to lead the conveyor from` a feed point down one wall of the longer compartment, below the surface of the grease therein, across this compartment to the separating wall, 'over the wall and down below the surface of the grease in the shorter compartment, across this compartment, and nally up the opposite wall thereof to a delivery point, and means to advancev the conveyor slowly through such path.

15. A method of cooking two diiferent components of a meal, one of which requires heat treatment for a length of time different from the other,

which method consists of starting both such components substantially simultaneously, and advanclng them simultaneously, at a controlled rate of speed, each through a. different heated zone, the temperature of which is governed in accordance with the particular component passing therethrough, exposing such components to the heat of their respective heated zones, each for a length of time different from the other and appropriate to accomplish its own cooking, to complete the cooking operations of both components substantially simultaneously.

16. `An improved method of cooking, by submergence beneath the surface of hot cooking grease, foods such as fowl, steak, fish, and potatoes, which lwhengthus cooked emit an envelope of steam;` which method comprises moving the food, during dierent portions of the period of submerged cooking, through bodies of cooking grease heated to different temperatures', so as to affect the food differently. while by the relative movement of food and greaseas aforesaid continually bringing the food into more intimate relation with new hot grease.

17. An improved method of cooking, by submergence beneath the surface of hot cooking grease, foods suchV as fowl, steak, iish, and potatoes, which when thus cooked emit an envelope of steam; which method comprises first submerging the food in, and moving it thus submerged through, grease heated to a temperature adapted to effect primary cooking, during the period of time required for such primary cooking, and lifting it out of the grease at the end of this period; and then submerging it in, and moving it thus submerged through, grease heated to a different temperature, adapted for finishing the cooking, during the period of time required for thus completing the cooking, and then again lifting it out of the grease.

v.18. An improve/d method of cooking, by submergence beneath the surface of hot cooking grease, foods such as fowl, steak, sh, and potatoes, which when thus cooked emit an envelope of steam; which method comprises moving the food, during different portions of the period -of submerged cooking, through bodies of cooking grease heated to dierent temperatures, first for a longer time through heated grease of lower temperature, whereby the food is substantially or edibly cooked, and then for a shorter time through heated grease of higher temperature, whereby the food is finished or browned.

19.y A machine for cooking, by submergence beneath the surface of hot cooking grease, foods y such as fowl, steak, fish, andpotatoes, which when thus cooked emit an envelope of steam; said machine comprising a series of receptacles or compartments adapted for holding grease at different temperatures; means for heating the grease in the compartments and maintaining it at such different temperatures, that in the' earlier appropriate for primary or edible cooking ofthe food, and that in the later adapted for nishing or browning the food; a conveyor whereon the food may be secured travelling a course first down into; through, and up out of theV grease in the earlier compartment, and then down into, through, and up out of the grease in the later compartment; and means for advancing the conveyor at a rate so correlated with the temperature of the grease and the length of travel of the food therethrough in the several compartments that practically any foodemerges abundantly cooked from the'iinal compartment, while many foods emerge from the earlier edibly or satisfactorily cooked, according to some tastes.

WALTER R. SCHARSCH. 

